Rock Steady
by DevlinV1
Summary: [FIN:2004] When tragedy strikes Shannon Moore's family, who can he turn to for comfort? To the one man who has always been there through it all.


**Rock Steady**

**By Archangel**

"You did a good job anyway."

"Yeah, but it sucks that I always have to lose."

"I know, but you know how it has to go."

"Yeah."

Matt patted Shannon's back as the two of them walked the halls of the arena, making their way back to the locker room. Shannon had just had a match that he had lost. He and Matt had played out a vicious battle between each other as well, Matt being the enraged teacher finally getting fed up with a slacking student. After getting out of the brief fight with his 'sensei' Shannon had been chased around the ring and into the back. Now the two of them were slightly out of breath, Shannon more than Matt, and looking for time to relax.

"Shannon!" came a voice from up ahead.

Looking up, Shannon was surprised to see Rey Mysterio coming up to them. He smiled a little, but the luchador looked worried even under his mask.

"What's up?"

"Your cell phone has been ringing non-stop for the past twenty minutes or so, man. I hope you don't mind, but I got it out of your bag to bring it to you and glanced at the caller ID." He handed over the now silent phone. "They're calls from home, bro. You think maybe something is up?"

Shannon blinked and took the phone, quickly starting to search through it to see the list of incoming calls. Rey was right; they were all from his home in Cameron. Not from his wife, Crystal, but from his mother's house. She would never call this many times unless it was urgent.

"It's okay, Rey, I don't mind that you got it out. Thanks actually."

"No problem. It was bugging the hell out of all of us so I saved it from getting crushed by Paul."

"Thanks," Shannon said with a smile and quickly stepped around Rey, heading off down the hall quickly.

"Is he okay?" Rey asked Matt before he started after him.

"I don't think so. That was the fakest smile I've ever seen him give anyone."

"Don't let me stop you then, Matt. Go after him and make sure he's alright."

Matt didn't answer him except to jog off after the hurrying blond. He had already ducked into the locker room with his phone to his ear. Matt came in a second later to see Shannon standing a few feet away with his back to him. He watched silently, not wanting to interrupt the one sided conversation as he knew Shan's phone tended to act up and make hearing people a pain in the neck. He could feel the tension building. Something was wrong.

"Okay, Mom. I'll be home as soon as I can." He paused for a moment, listening. "I love you, too. Bye bye."

He closed the phone with one hand, letting his arm fall limply to the side. The phone slid from his grip to clatter to the tiled floor. Matt stood still for a moment more, not sure of what to do or say or if he should even say anything. Then without warning Shannon dropped to his knees on the floor, nearly landing on his phone, and raised his hands to grip either side of his head, taking fistfuls of his hair tightly into his fingers. Matt opened his mouth to ask what had happened, what was wrong, but Shannon halted him with a loud scream of anguish, silencing the entire bustling locker room. Matt was kneeling beside him in an instant, grabbing his arms as he noticed Shannon pulling on his hair as if trying to rip it out.

"Shan! What happened?"

"She's dead!"

"Who? Who died, Shan?" He finally managed to untangle Shannon's fingers from his hair, gripping his wrists as he started to rock back and forth, tears streaming over his cheeks. "Who is it, Shannon? Crystal?" Shannon shook his head. "Tell me."

"Kimmy!" he wailed.

Matt's eyes widened slightly and he pulled Shannon tight against his chest, holding him protectively close as his young friend began to sob uncontrollably. It was his sister, his only sister. Shannon had been very close to Kim, Matt knew that for a fact. He stroked his hand over Shannon mussed locks, rocking with him, letting him cry. He gave a stern glare to some of the others that were mulling around looking at the two of them. Most of them got the hint to leave.

"How did it happen? Do you know?" he asked quietly.

"An accident. Some dumbass, motherfucking, drunk hit her! He was doing ninety!" Matt winced, knowing that meant there was no way anyone could've survived, he was partially wrong. "He's alive, too! That fucker lived and my sister is dead! She wasn't the one drinking yet she had to pay for his mistakes! That's not fair! It's not fucking fair!"

"Shhh… Shannon, please, calm down. You're going to make yourself sick or something."

Shannon yanked away from him, staring up into his eyes with an expression filled with misery, desperation, and anger. "Why? Why the fuck did this happen? We've always been such good people! She was so wonderful! Why would God do something like this to us? I've never doubted Him! She was so faithful! Why would He see fit for her to die?"

Matt felt his throat constrict at hearing such words, seeing the look in his friend's eyes. He looked so betrayed. Matt knew Shannon and his family were extremely devout Catholics. Even on the road Shannon would search out the churches in every city so he could go to Mass. He prayed every night before going to sleep. And he would always confess to anything he had done wrong, always feeling so guilty when he would stray. Matt swallowed nervously, trying to hold back his own tears to be strong for him in a most terrible time of need.

"Maybe she was so wonderful that God decided she should be with Him," he said without really thinking.

"No… No, Matt," he whimpered.

"It's possible, Shannon." He pulled him back into his embrace, trying his best to soothe him even a little. "I knew Kimmy well enough. I know you even better. You and your family are good people, forever dedicated to your beliefs. I can't believe that God would take Kim without a good reason. Either He needed her or it's simply something that must happen. You know that nothing He does is without reason. Even if you never figure out why, there is a reason that this happened."

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?" he whispered. "You're not Catholic."

"No, I'm Baptist, but you and I worship the same God. We all do. Everyone in the world worships the same God, Shannon. He has many different names, but He is still the same no matter what. And He takes life as He sees it must be taken. He would never do this just to intentionally hurt you."

Shannon whimpered again and his sobs came back, shaking his smaller frame to the core. Matt closed his eyes, leaning his head down on top of Shannon's, threading his fingers through his hair. He let his young friend cling to him as he cried out his remorse. He had held him through many painful moments in his life, constantly reassuring him that he would make it through another broken heart. This one would be no different. Matt would never leave him to cry alone. His love for Shannon was rock steady.

**The End**

_Legalities: Matt Hardy, Shannon Moore, and any other mentioned characters are property of World Wrestling Entertainment. I claim no knowledge of each of the characters sexual preferences or lives. This is a story of fiction, none of these events are real. I received absolutely no profit from this story._


End file.
